Mk1 C5 Estate handling

[aramsay]

I have a Mk1 / 02 C5 Estate, which seems to be handling a bit strange in the last month or so....

Going round corners, it feels like there is a soft tyre, and it takes a fair swing to the outside of the corner sometime !

As far as I can tell, it's never had any spheres changed. What are the symptoms of a sphere "going off", if there is such a thing as opposed to just failing ?

Any other sugggestions ?

(and yes, the tyres are good, and at correct pressures.....)

Alan.

[demag]

Stand at the back of the car and look at the rear wheels. Do they lean in at the top? Like this / \ if so the rear arm bearings need replacing, that will cause bad handling.

[Peter.N.]

You can check the spheres by 'bouncing' the front and back of the car. With the engine running you should get about 4-6" of movement at the back and 2-4" at the front, much less than this and the spheres will need replacing.

If its a hydractive car with 6 spheres its most likely the centre ones need replacing, that's where most of the movement comes from but as Dave says check the rear suspension for trailing arm bearing wear.

Peter

[Stickyfinger]

My Mk1 did that, the rear felt like it was trying to self-steer, almost like the rear was "turning in".....rear swing arm bearing had gone.
I looked fine from the rear but nearly killed me one day in the wet.................

[demag]

Mine is actually like this. If I go round a bumpy bend it can quite noticeably do a hop and a skip at the rear. My n/s rear wheel has a marked lean in at the top and although the o/s looks ok it has started to make some ominous cracking noises occasionally.

[Peter.N.]

Sounds like you have the dreaded bearing worm. They are actually not to difficult to do if everything comes undone, the pin that locks the end of the piston push rod is usually the most difficult, if they come out OK the rest of the job is fairly straightforward.

Peter

[aramsay]

Many thanks for all the suggestions.

I'll have a look at it over the weekend. The missus uses it during the day... ... and it's been pretty grotty weather here, so not been under it yet........

[wurlycorner]

Also, is in an H3+ car? (does it have the sport button on the height control switch?)
If so, could be a fault in the centre sphere/control valve (front goes into hard, rear stays in soft?)

[Paul-R]

According to the My Cars info aramsay has a 2.2 HDi. So, yes, it's H3+ suspension.